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http://wosu.org/2012/wp-content/themes/wosu-child-home/images/wosu_public_media_120_27.jpg12575United Way Ends Funding to Certain Columbus-Area Programshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/13/united-way-ends-funding-to-certain-columbus-area-programs/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/13/united-way-ends-funding-to-certain-columbus-area-programs/#commentsThu, 13 Dec 2007 00:00:00 +0000Sam Hendrenhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/13/united-way-ends-funding-to-certain-columbus-area-programs/United Way of Central Ohio has new criteria to determine how funds are allocated to member agencies. A spokesman says the organization, which distributes about $28 million for Columbus area programs, will concentrate on helping meet basic human needs including health care, housing, and education. Those programs that don't won't be funded next year.

]]>United Way of Central Ohio has new criteria to determine how funds are allocated to member agencies. A spokesman says the organization – which distributes about 28 million dollars for Columbus area programs – will concentrate on helping meet basic human needs — health care, housing, and education. But some programs are not being funding next year.

For most United Way member-agencies next year will be business as usual. But for a few others there will be sizeable dents in the bottom line. About $2.4 million is being taken away from agencies that include the American Cancer Society, the Urban League, the Epilepsy Foundation, Goodwill and United Cerebral Palsy. Kermit Whitfield, spokesman for United Way says his organization has a new strategic focus it’s using in its funding process.

“We went through and reviewed all the programs that we currently fund and looked to see if those met these priorities or didn’t,” Whitfield says. “In the vast majority of cases they do.”

But two programs at Jewish Family Services did not meet the new criteria so the center will lose about $183,000. That means that counseling and mental health services for the uninsured and working poor at Jewish Family Services will end.

The Columbus AIDS Task Force will lose about $85,000. It operates on about 3.3 million dollars annually. Chad McCoury is the AIDS Task Force director.

“It’s definitely a loss for us,” McCoury says. “When United Way allows us to apply for funding in the future we will absolutely be prepared to apply for that funding and make sure that our programs and services are in line with their strategic plans and services that they’ve put forward.”

LifeCare Alliance lost $115,000 for cancer prevention, but funding was renewed for six other programs according to Whitfield including one well-known program for the elderly.

Meals on Wheels, through LifeCare Alliance, that program meets our priorities,” he says. “It will continue to receive 100 percent of the funding that it has received in the past for the next funding cycle.”

At the Columbus AIDS Task Force Chad McCoury is optimistic that funding might be restored in the future.

We’re currently assessing the situation,” McCoury says. “It doesn’t necessarily mean the elimination of programs or staff or services, it just means for us that we will be looking for another funder to underwrite those programs or services.”

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/12/13/united-way-ends-funding-to-certain-columbus-area-programs/feed/0aids,columbus,lifecare,task,united,wayUnited Way of Central Ohio has new criteria to determine how funds are allocated to member agencies. A spokesman says the organization, which distributes about $28 million for Columbus area programs, will concentrate on helping meet basic human needs i...United Way of Central Ohio has new criteria to determine how funds are allocated to member agencies. A spokesman says the organization, which distributes about $28 million for Columbus area programs, will concentrate on helping meet basic human needs including health care, housing, and education. Those programs that don't won't be funded next year.WOSU Newsno2:20Benefit or Burden: The Impact of Rising Health Insurance on Non Profitshttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/10/19/benefit-or-burden-the-impact-of-rising-health-insurance-on-non-profits/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/10/19/benefit-or-burden-the-impact-of-rising-health-insurance-on-non-profits/#commentsFri, 19 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0000Sam Hendrenhttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/10/19/benefit-or-burden-the-impact-of-rising-health-insurance-on-non-profits/

When Henry Godman's workers were turning out thousands of pairs of shoes in a downtown factory, the Columbus businessman did not have to worry about calculating health insurance benefits because there weren't any. That business from the late 1800s is long gone, but the Godman Guild, a social services agency, has about 2 dozen workers who do receive health care as part of their benefits package. The Guild was recently hit with a steep and unexpected 23 percent health insurance increase.

Nowhere is the insurance crisis more keenly felt than among small non-profit organizations. While commercial businesses may pass along increased costs to their customers, non-profits cannot. One the oldest non-profits in Columbus is facing a sharp and unexpected 23 percent increase. The Godman Guild will have to pay the higher premium to keep its employees insured. The employees, in turn, will be digging deeper into their own pockets to help their employer pay for the more expensive coverage.

“Good afternoon, Godman Guild…Peaches…How may I help you?”

Named for 19th century Columbus shoe manufacturer and benefactor Henry Godman, the guild started as a settlement house aiding immigrant families. Times and methods have changed, but for more than a century the Guild has been helping men, women and children make better lives for themselves. The guild provides a number of services, including hosting Head Start classes.

“You’ve got apples on your tree? I don’t see it! That’s all the apples on your tree? You better make more; yeah, make more!

The guild has 26 full-time employees whose salaries average about $30,000 a year. The guild pays about 90 percent of their health insurance premiums. It’s a significant portion of the agency’s $3 million budget. And the cost keeps rising every year. Marci Ryan is Godman’s human resources director.

“Our bills are $144,000 a year for all of our employees,” Ryan says. “We do have them pay a portion of that.”

How much they pay depends on whether they chose the $250- or $750-deductible. All but a few chose the higher amount. That means a single person with no dependents this past year paid a modest $37 a month. It’s a manageable amount which employees say they appreciate.

As with most insurance plans, the rates go up for each additional family member added to the policy. But the Guild was hit with a new form of higher health care pricing a few years back. Ryan says carriers began adjusting rates according to age.

“And they never used to do that before. It used to be that if you’re an employee you pay this much no matter if you’re 19 or 50. Now it’s based on your age and the age of your dependents so every single person’s premium is different,” Ryan says.

That forces the Guild to require each employee to complete a new application every year. To get the best deal, Godman hires an independent insurance broker who shops around and makes recommendations to the guild’s administrators.

But in a scene becoming all too familiar in board rooms across the country Ryan recently had the uncomfortable task of telling her boss, executive director Randall Morrison, that the insurance rates for the new fiscal year have skyrocketed.

HENDREN: What’s coming up? Something big happening on the horizon?

RYAN: We have a renewal and it’s a little larger than we would like. I look at my boss…

HENDREN: Why is he looking like that?

RYAN: Because we really haven’t had a conversation about it yet.

MORRISON: She keeps saying that it’s bigger than we thought.

RYAN: Yep. We budget for about a 12 percent to 15 percent increase every year in our insurance; which is substantial in itself. But it’s, uh, it’s a little, uh, higher than that this year.

The increase ended up being nearly double – 23 percent higher for fiscal year 2008. That raises Godman’s health care premium to $203,000.

To fund programs like Job Readiness courses the Godman Guild relies heavily on The United Way of Central Ohio. It contributes nearly a third of Godman’s budget. But that money, according to local United Way spokesman Kermit Whitfield goes to fund individual programs, not member agencies.

“When it comes to something like insurance premiums rising and that sort of thing it would almost be impossible for United Way or other funders to take that into account as we look at long term funding cycles,” Whitfield says. In a classroom at Goodman trainer asks: “We can’t make special factoring in just for that.”

“Can anyone tell me how long it takes for an interviewer or human resources person, whoever is doing the hiring, how long it takes to make an impression of you?”

As the Godman Guild teaches adults how to get a job, its employees will learn another lesson. They will soon see a 5 percent increase in their contribution to their health insurance plans.

“When I started here, employees with single coverage didn’t pay anything,” Marci Ryan says. “And that was eight years ago. So we have tried really hard to minimize what that contribution is but they have to help us carry the cost. It’s a wonderful benefit that we offer but it’s a burden for all of us.”

]]>http://wosu.org/2012/news/2007/10/19/benefit-or-burden-the-impact-of-rising-health-insurance-on-non-profits/feed/0central,guild,morrison,randall,ryan,united,wayWhen Henry Godman's workers were turning out thousands of pairs of shoes in a downtown factory, the Columbus businessman did not have to worry about calculating health insurance benefits because there weren't any.When Henry Godman's workers were turning out thousands of pairs of shoes in a downtown factory, the Columbus businessman did not have to worry about calculating health insurance benefits because there weren't any. That business from the late 1800s is long gone, but the Godman Guild, a social services agency, has about 2 dozen workers who do receive health care as part of their benefits package. The Guild was recently hit with a steep and unexpected 23 percent health insurance increase.WOSU Newsno4:45Wrong Way Crashes Puzzle Policehttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/03/23/wrong-way-crashes-puzzle-police/
http://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/03/23/wrong-way-crashes-puzzle-police/#commentsWed, 23 Mar 2005 00:00:00 +0000Tom Borgerdinghttp://wosu.org/2012/news/2005/03/23/wrong-way-crashes-puzzle-police/Columbus Police are asking for public help to handle wrong-way crashes on interstates.

]]>Columbus police and state transportation officials are taking a closer look at a handful of recent head-on collisions on Central Ohio interstates. The investigation seeks to determine how and why more drivers are getting on limited access highways and traveling the wrong direction. Police spokeswoman Sherry Mercurio says officers are making a priority of 9-1-1 calls from motorists reporting drivers going the wrong direction in the hope of stopping drivers before a crash occurs. Bruce Ward of the Ohio Department of Transportation says traffic engineers are also taking note, but he says the crashes are so random that no conclusion has been reached regarding whether drivers are confused over ramps or signage.